Bull's Empire
by IncredibleMeatza420
Summary: Sequel to Break my Bones. Vulpes, new Caesar and leader of the Legion, builds the largest empire since the fall of Rome. Hand in hand with Sennia, seen as the modern Venus, he will follow through with his promise to free her from slavery as she is now the wide of a Caesar. Vulpes and his army face new challenges as he takes on expansion of Legion borders up North.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Breath of Champions

The morning air in Cottonwood Cove smelled of victory and power. As I stepped off the raft and onto the docks with a creak of the old wood, I took a deep breath. It was a moment I would remember for the rest of my life. It was the break of dawn. The start of the first day of my empire.

The camp was quiet and seemed abandoned. I looked around desperately for any signs of Sennia... and Lucius. The barracks looked uninhabited for the most part. Fires had died down to burning embers and ashes.

I knocked on the door to the main office of Aurelius of Phoenix with my machete drawn. I couldn't take chances if NCR was still in the area. Quiet footsteps sounded near the door.

"Who is it?" Sennia's voice was nervous.

I let out a deep breath I was holding. I holstered my weapon. "Vulpes, love. I was so worried."

The door swung open and she flew herself out the door. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she buried her face into my chest.

"I was so scared. I didn't know when you'd come back. Or _if_ you'd come back. I haven't seen you in over a week." Sennia cried into my chest.

I lifted her face by the chin and wiped her cheek gently. I kissed her deeply. "I'm here now."

"You are." She smiled and nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"Where is Lucius?"

"He's in the barracks over with Lucullus. I saw the gecko. He's so cute."

"He woke me up during a nap a while back and he wanted food. What should we name it?"

"I've been reading some of the books around here and I've been picking up some Latin here and there. I think 'Malum' is pretty good. He really likes apples."

Hearing her speaking the Legion's tongue had been more of a turn on than I ever could have imagined. I shuddered with lust.

"You okay?" She asked concerned.

"I've missed you so much." I pulled her by the hips to my body.

"I have, too." She kissed my neck tenderly.

"Lucius isn't awake yet." I whispered into her ear.

"Let's make up for some lost time." She grinned. She pulled me up the stairs and into the bedroom. The door closed with a loud clunk.

* * *

I stepped outside for fresh air. I hadn't bothered putting my tunic back on. I stood in the camp in only my black shorts. I stretched my back and inhaled deeply. Still smelled like victory.

The door opened behind me and Sennia's arms wrapped around my waist. She rested her cheek on my back as she left small kisses on my spine.

"Someone has been quite lonely in my absence." I grinned.

"Of course, my love was gone on a mission. What is a girl to do?"

"Not my best friend, I hope." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Sennia's arms withdrew from my body. I turned around to apologize but the words didn't make it out before she slapped me across the cheek.

"Is that what you think of me? That I fucked Lucius while you were gone?" Her eyes were on fire.

"I'm sorry. It was a tasteless joke. I didn't even think before I said it." I pressed my hand to my face. It stung from the deserved hit. "I don't think that you would do that. I'm very sorry."

"You're damn right it was tasteless. I have been worried shitless since you left. When the securitrons took over and Lucius told me to get out of there, I was terrified that I would never see you again. I cried the entire fucking trip here." Tears streamed down her chin again. This time was not happy tears rather than angry tears.

"I'm sorry, Sennia. I didn't mean it. I would have gotten back sooner but I was crippled from missiles." The images of the vision flashed into my mind. Sennia being defiled by her husband and we standing over him with blood on my hands.

"Nice fucking excuse." She scoffed.

"I was on crutches for days. I had to click everywhere." Anger welled inside of me as the image of her husband was burned into my eyes.

"Fine." She threw her arms up. "Whatever you say."

"While I was unconscious, I had the strangest dream. You know, you had a husband and everything. He really liked getting rough with you. Boy, was that a really weird dream."

She looked like she was about to get hit by a train and couldn't do a damned thing about it. She immediately returned to her cold facade. "Yeah, what a strange fucking dream."

"Now that I think about it," I thumped my finger on my chin and looked up, "it was awfully real. Like a vision from Mars himself. I also recall you trying to avoid the question about how you know about that kind of thing. Almost as if there was a husband you never told me about."

She screamed in anger and stomped into the room. She slammed the door and it was followed with the _clunk_ of the lock. "Go fuck yourself, love!"

Another door opened across the camp. Lucullus cautiously poked his head out. He waved.

"What was that about, Vulpes?"

I stormed down the stairs with as much force as I could. Swearing under my breath the whole way, I stomped into the barracks.

Malum greeted me happily and I slumped in the nearest chair. Lucius stirred from his rest and turned over. He opened his eyes slowly. He caught a glimpse of me and shot up. "You're alive, you lucky bastard," he laughed.

I slid my hand down my face. Malum climbed his way up into my lap and nudged his head under my other hand.

"What happened?" Lucius asked nervously.

"Sennia. I had a vision from Mars while I was on the Boomers mission. She was married to an asshole. I killed him."

"Oh shit. Is that what that was all about?" Lucullus pried.

"Yeah." I muttered under my breath.

"Well, enough about now. What happened at Hoover Dam?"

A smile tugged at my lips. "I'm Caesar. We've won the Mojave."

They cheered loudly and clapped hands over my back. "Congratulations, asshole!"

"We have a lot of work that needs to be done." My face returned to the seriousness of the situation.

"How did you win it? Did you kill that treacherous bitch?" Lucius asked eagerly.

"We talked it out like civil people. We have made a new Treaty of Hoover Dam."

"Should have just killed her." Lucius scoffed.

"Can we read it?" Lucullus was bouncing in his seat even more than Malum.

I produced the treaty and they looked over it in anticipation. Their faces changed from eager, to confused, to shocked.

"Vulpes, you are asking a lot of this army." Lucius warned.

"I'm Caesar. They will listen."

"You aren't the Son of Mars." Lucullus shook his head.

I cleared my throat. "Neither was Edward. I am favored by Mars."

They were both confused. "Edward?"

"You didn't really think he was the son of Mars, did you?" I chuckled.

Sudden realization washed over them. "What do you mean?"

"He was from The Followers of the Apocalypse. Edward was his original name."

"This is a lot to take in this early."

I smiled wickedly. "We have some work to do."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Every Legionary knew to return to The Fort after the battle was over completely. The trip was long and awkward due to Sennia's complete dismissal of my presence. She even avoided looking in my direction. Lucius, Lucullus, and I spoke of the plans once we got to The Fort. Malum rested in my lap the entire trip.

The water was restless and flowed freely with trails of blood. Hoover Dam was a mess of a battlefield. Bodies floated down the river like an old movie. The second order of business would be to have recruits clean up this river.

The sand crunched under our feet as we docked. Legionaries passing by halted all activity to solute me.

"At ease." My chest puffed out as I straightened to full height.

"Yes sir." They turned and took off to announce our arrival.

I sighed. I would have to get used to the attention. The stairs up to the tent were no longer littered with our fallen brothers, much to my satisfaction. Children don't need to see that.

Slaves eyed me with fear and uncertainty as we passed. Their eyes lingered on Sennia. The gates screeched and we walked in.

Siri glared daggers at me as I walked up the hill to my tent. She backed down when I glared back. The tent flap opened and I stepped in to see the throne sat untouched for me. A smile broke out on my face as I strutted up to it.

Edward's blood stained the furs at the bottom. It seemed fitting. I savored the moment as much as possible.

I sat down slowly. My back straightened with pride. For years, I stood by the throne obediently near that prick and listened to his arrogant speeches. Today, I was in his seat. The biggest _fuck you_ I can ever give him.

Sennia bit her lip and placed a hand on my shoulder, besides her plans on ignoring me earlier.

"What happened to being pissed off at me?" I whispered with a smile.

"I am still very pissed. Just touching you is pissing me off. This is just for image, love." She forced a smile.

"Love you, too." I tilted my head and batted my eyes.

She plucked my ear painfully. She desperately tried to hide her real smile. "You're such an asshole. I'm supposed to be mad at you."

"How can you be mad at little old me?" I clasped my hands together and held them under my chin as I poked my lip out.

She laughed but tried to cover it up with a cough. "God, you're such a dick."

"But I'm your dick." I closed my eyes and smiled as much as possible. It hurt my cheeks but if I wanted to get Sennia in a better mood, I would have to make her laugh.

She snorted and blushed. "You sure as hell were this morning."

"You know it, love." The familiar burst of lust had arisen once again. "And maybe later, if I play my cards right and manage to make you forget you're mad at me."

"Easy, love. Someone's getting ahead of themselves."

I looked away from her for a moment and finally noticed the men standing uncomfortably awaiting orders. "Hold on one second, Sennia."

The first mad spoke up nervously. "Sir, everyone is expecting you outside. We were under the impression that there was a new treaty we were to follow."

"Ah, yes. Right away."

Sennia squeezed my shoulder before letting go. I stood up and followed the men out to to stand at the top of the arena in front of the tent. A large crowd had formed in my absence.

I cleared my throat. "Ave, soldiers."

The soldiers saluted in unison.

"It appears that we won the Battle at Hoover Dam."

The crowd erupted in a roar of victorious shouts and celebratory whooping.

"Tonight, we will celebrate our victory. But first, there is a matter of business we need to take care of."

The crowd settled down quickly.

I pulled the treaty out of my pouch. I opened it with slightly shaky hands. Sennia's hand landed on my back and she smiled.

"There is going to be a change in how things are run here. No more being an asshole." The crowd started whispering amongst themselves.

"What I'm going to do is introduce a new law in the treaty on the first Friday of every month in order. There is going to be a big difference between me and Edward, the man you all know as Caesar. To start off, he wasn't the Son of Mars. He was a man with a superiority complex."

The crowd was now bustling with chatter. I held my hand up and it ceased.

"Before I start with the treaty, I will inform you all that I changed these rules in order to create the most efficient army known to man. Just try to look at all the new things that will happen."

The slaves had halted their business and swapped duty for listening.

"Alright, the first change that will be happening is abolitionism of slavery. Before you all start riots like barbaric profligates, understand that these are human beings. And this actually benefits the Legion. Slaves are very weak from the treatment. It's common knowledge that when people are paid for work, they'll do a better job than if they were forced. There will be a lot of work that needs done. Also, the biggest reason women didn't willingly join the Legion was due to enslavement. Think on that."

The men scowled but kept their mouths shut. The freed women cried into each others arms. Old women were in utter shock.

"This is an order. If I hear of anyone hitting the women or resorting back to the old ways, expect to spend your last days on a cross, naked and spilling out of yourself. Hopefully, everyone remembers what I did with Otho."

The men shook their heads angrily but remained silent. The women were cheering quietly amongst themselves.

"Enough of acting like children, grow up and learn the difference between a human and sack to be tossed around."

Sennia sniffled behind me. "Thank you" she muttered.

"This month's law has been announced. The rest will be revealed in due time. Women, if you don't mind, we would need some help building the women's barracks. You will be given new clothes and a new start if you want to stay here. I understand that many of you have families you want to find. If that is the case, I shall order my most trusted men to accompany you on your journeys home."

The women filed up one by one up the hill. Melody was amongst them.

"Hello, ladies. I trust that you are having a good day?" I asked.

"Whores!" A man shouted.

I dug a knife out of my boot and threw it. It struck him in between the eyes. "Any more outbursts like that will not be granted a death as quick and painless. His death is a warning. Now shut the hell up, I am not speaking to the men."

The men cowered together. Good.

"We don't know how to thank you, sir." A women cried.

"Don't thank me. Thank her." I motioned to Sennia.

Sennia yelped as the women lifted her up on their shoulders. They were all laughing and tossing her up gently in celebration.

I chuckled and waved as they carried her away to the kitchen. They caught glares from the men but didn't give a damn any longer.

"Now, I expect all of you to follow the rules as they are given. I will see you all tonight at dinner. Ave."

The crowd grumbled but I noticed just how many were keeping quietly. They were faking their looks of anger.

I had won the favors of the silent majority.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Drunken Party Animals

Men and women alike sat around the long table. They laughed and rejoiced in the new victory. Empty plates cluttered the area. It was a breath taking sight.

Women celebrated their new freedom. Men celebrated the new future. Children celebrated their new friends as young girls and boys played by the arena.

It was as if the Legion was a big happy family. Tonight was a special night for everybody. Sennia had made the biggest pot of her beef stew I could ever believe existed.

Alcohol was strictly prohibited in the Legion, but tonight was the one exception. Everybody was allowed one bottle of beer. Most of them had never been exposed to alcohol in their lives. It was like a big pile of drunk toddlers laughing and clapping.

Jokes were spread around the campfires and some men had taken to banging on makeshift drums. People danced and sang around in circles to old folk songs from before the war. Old beads were tossed in celebration of Mars and his guidance.

It was a true celebration. One the likes of which had never seen before. It was almost like the war had never happened and everybody had nothing to worry about.

Sennia placed a hand on my shoulder tentatively. "How's it going? Come here often?"

"Well, it just so happens that I do come here very often. I'll let you know something. I'm the guy your parents warned you about."

She smiled and kissed my neck. From behind me, she leaned in to my ear. "You get to celebrate a little tonight, too."

A smile tugged my lips. "Is that so?"

Her teeth grazed my ear ever so slightly. "I want you, Caesar."

Her breath sent a shiver down my spine. Caesar? Oh yes, a good revenge tactic on her part. "I'm going to make you the queen of my empire, Sennia."

"Oh yeah? You wanna rule me?" Her fingertips slid up my back.

"Oh Mars, you have no idea what you are doing to me."

"Let's go to your new tent." She drew small circles with her fingers on the back of my neck.

"I'll get Lucius to look out while we're occupied." I stood up and tried to hide my obvious arousal.

I weaved through the crowds of laughing drunks. Lucius was pounding on a drum with a big smile as women shot him interested glances.

"Lucius, I need to look over while I'm out. It will only be about, uh, twenty minutes maybe."

Lucius, still grinning turned. "You horny bastard, go get her. I'll watch everything. It'll be fine." He swatted me away.

I made my way back to Sennia ushering me into the tent with her finger. I followed her in and she tugged me along by the collar of my tunic. She pushed me back into the throne and straddled my lap.

"I wanna try something new tonight." She whispered.

I kissed her neck and pressed her to my body tightly. I grabbed a fistful of hair as she breathed life into me.

"Whatever you want, love." I whispered into her bosom.

"Okay. Sit tight." She said as she slid off my lap and knelt down in front of me.

"This _is_ new. What are you planning on doing down there?" My brow raised.

She looked at me under thick lashes. "You'll like it."

* * *

After several minutes, we emerged from the tent and into the drunk party.

"What are you?" I asked breathlessly.

"Amazing?" She locked her hands in mine and pulled me back to the campfire.

"Understatement." I ran my hand through my hair.

Sennia giggled and dragged me into the dancing circle. She grabbed both hands and started shaking her hips from side to side. The fire silhouetted her perfectly.

"I have no idea how to dance, Sennia." I tripped over my foot carelessly.

"Just go with the flow." She let of one hand and twirled under the other.

I started jumping from one foot to the other. It felt strange, but right. Sennia snorted when she turned around to see me.

"That's terrible." She giggled.

I spun her around once more. She yelped in surprise when I dipped her down.

"You said you couldn't dance." Sennia grinned with a brow raised.

"Did you really think that the leader of the Legion's spies couldn't dance? I wouldn't really fit in at the casinos if I couldn't dance."

"So you lied?"

I tilted my head and looked up in thought. I nodded. "Yes, I lied about dancing."

She smiled faintly. "You are such an ass, you know that?"

"Very much so. Yes."

I spun her and pulled her back towards me. I wrapped her in my arms and swayed to side to side with my head on her shoulder. She leaned her head back and sighed.

"I love you, Vulpes." She muttered.

"And I love you, Sennia."

Something flashed by and hit the ground beside us. Sennia gasped in shock. A drunken fool was on the ground giggling to himself. I looked up from where he'd fallen. He fucking jumped off of the kitchen tent. I dragged him up by the collar and tossed him at Lucullus.

"What do you want me to do with him?" Lucullus's words were slightly slurred.

"He's your friend. Take care of him. He's not my responsibility."

"And how is he mine?" He raised his bottle up to poke a finger at the man still giggling in my hands.

"Friends take care of drunk friends." The man gagged and spit up on my hand. I dropped him and he curled into a weeping ball.

"I'm drunk too. That means you have to take care of me." Beer spilled as he threw the bottle up to take a sip.

"How many bottles have you had?" My patience was wearing thin for him.

"I'd say about-" he counted on fingers. He swore and started over again. He held up three fingers. "I had four."

God dammit. "Where are you getting it?"

He pointed to the kitchen and I followed the direction he pointed me in. A young man was piling bottles in a pyramid and people were taking them as they walked up. The pile knocked over and he just pouted and started the pyramid over again.

"What do you think you're doing?" I grabbed him by the ear.

"Hey man, I'm just trying to make this pyramid like they used to make in the books." The man whined from the table.

"Why are you just letting them take it?"

He shrugged. "Gives me something to do."

I turned around. I gave up and threw my hands in the air. I had it with tonight. Everyone was just too drunk.

"Where are you going?" Sennia called from the fire.

"Home."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"I'm tired. This party is getting out of control."

"Then do something about it." She put her hands on her hips.

I sighed and walked up to the hill to the tent. I yelled for everyone's attention. They turned and looked on with confused looks.

"We need to tone it the hell down. You guys are getting way too out of hand. Put the drinks down. You guys have had enough."

People in the crowd bitched and moaned and shuffled out of the way of the kitchen. They quickly returned to dancing to the drums and singing.

"See, I told you."

"That felt good." I rubbed the back of my head.

"You did a good job, Caesar."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Plans

The tent was warm and smelled of something sweet when I awoke the next morning. Sennia sat next to me in the cot with her hands in her lap. Her hair was the way I liked it: a tangled mess.

"Morning, love." I mumbled. I slid a hand down my face to wipe the sleep away. I yawned into my palm and stretched with a groan.

"Morning." Sennia replied as she turned to look over her shoulder and down towards me on the ground.

I slid my hand up her back and into her hair. I tugged gently at it and she smiled. She laid down and rested her head on my chest. I rubbed my fingers up and down her back lightly.

"I won't bring him up ever again, you know that?"

"Who are you talking about?" She asked quietly.

"The 'man' before me, if you can even call him that. I will never say another word about him."

"Oh, Rick? I would really appreciate that." She let out a long sigh. "How did you find out about him?"

I smoothed her hair back from her forehead. I pressed my lips to hers gently. "You wouldn't believe me, love."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What? How did you find out about him? Please tell me, Vulpes."

I exhaled deeply. "On my way to Nellis, they bombarded my ass with just about every missile they could find. As I saw the gates, I thought I was free and safe from their launchers. I heard one too close to my liking and hurdled over the nearest wall. I didn't know that said wall had a steep ditch on the other side and I rolled down in it. I hit my head on a rock and passed out. I woke up in a Legion invasion I was unfamiliar with. I asked around and they were assholes."

"What does this have to do with me and that prick?"

"Just wait a minute. I saw a man drag a woman into a house by her hair and I decided to do her a favor and check it out. I opened the door and the lights were off. She was bent over and he was raping her. The animal didn't even stop when I got my machete out and he got stupid. I killed him and the girl dropped to the floor. She thanked me and looked up from under her hair."

Sennia held a hand to her mouth, eyes glassed over. "It was me."

I looked into her eyes with as much silent sympathy as possible. "I asked you who that man was and you said it was your husband. Next thing I know, I'm staring up at a Boomer with a gun in my face. He kicked me and eventually, they just dragged me to their clinic. I was there for about a week and that's why it took so long for me to come home."

Sennia let out a shaky sigh. "Do you think differently of me?"

Did she really just ask that? I would never think badly of her because of an abusive relationship. She was too fragile in this moment to tell her what I really feel. She doesn't need to cry and I don't want to make her cry yet again. My voice cracked when I tried to speak again. I cleared my throat once. "I only think you are stronger than before I knew."

"I'm so sorry I never told you before. I didn't want you to know because I didn't know how would react to me having been married before."

I kissed her forehead and ran my thumb over her cheek. "Love, we don't have to talk about it now. We will leave for Flagstaff within the next week. You will be my right hand when it comes to dealing with the issues with women and children."

She wiped her eyes before speaking. "I would like that. When are we getting married?"

"Now that I'm Caesar, I think you will have a much nicer wedding. You'll be tailored for a dress when we get there. They will pretty much do whatever you ask."

"What is the next law you're going to enforce?"

I mindlessly stroked her hair. "Equality for every race, gender, religion, sexuality, and abnormality."

"That seems pretty fair. You'll be a great Caesar, you know that?" Sennia whispered into my neck.

"That means all the world coming from you, love." A smile broke across my face.

"We should probably get up. It's around noon and everyone is hungover. Probably going to be really funny."

I stood up from the cot and held my hand out to her. She took it graciously. We got dressed and stepped out into the world outside our own. People were covering their eyes from the sun and vomiting over the cliff side.

"Idiots." I grumbled.

"Come on, love. Don't be a huge grump. They were just having fun. They never get to do stuff like this."

I scoffed. "They better not think this is going to be one of the new rules I'm allowing."

"I don't think that they believe you're that lenient." Sennia giggled.

We wove through the stumbling assholes and up the hill to the tent. People around us moved out of the way and tried to avoid eye contact. I opened the tent flap and a Lucius greeted us.

"Good afternoon, Lucius. How are the stupid fans?"

"Regretful and sick. They can't even follow the simplest directions." Lucius sighed.

"Yeah, well that is going to change immediately. Now that the partying is over, they'll calm down and we can get this empire under way."

I sat on the throne and looked around the tent. I thought about general plans for what needed to be done before we left for Flagstaff. Sennia and I would marry, Lucius would naturally take over Fortification Hill, Lucullus would manage Cottonwood Cove, and patrols would be sent out to clear out any remnants from NCR.

"Lucius, can you come see for a moment?" I ushered him over.

"Yes?" He leaned down.

"You do realize that you will be in charge of the Fort since you are Legate?"

"I do."

"Do you feel comfortable enough to run this place?"

Lucius looked up in thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think I can handle that. You don't have to worry about anything."

"What are your plans for these recruits?"

"I would start off with patrols around the wastes. I would like to make sure that everyone is receiving proper training from instructors, too. What else?" He stroked his chin in thought. "Ah yes, the barracks. And I assume that you will want to make contact with the families on the Strip and with Brotherhood?"

"Yes. Very much so. I will handle the talking. I need you to make sure everything is enforced correctly. Also, who do you think will be a good asset for Camp McCarren, NCR outpost, and trade with Crimson Caravan?" I asked.

"I think Hostus would be able to take care of the outpost. I could figure out trade with the caravans, and as for McCarren, Tullus has enough influence to run it."

"Alright, thank you for your input. I'll go to Vegas tomorrow and speak with the families. I doubt they'll want to stand me up."

"That would be pretty stupid of them. What are you going to propose?"

"I won't tell them to go away. We'll need the gambling to fund the new facilities and projects. We'll just have to come to some sort of an agreement."

"Well, good luck with all that." Lucius patted my shoulder.

"This is going to be a long week, love." I whispered to Sennia.

"It will all be worth it." She slid her fingers into mine.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Vulpes."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Family Matters

Marjorie stood in front of me in the V.I.P. lounge of the Ultra Luxe. Her jaw ticked and her fingers tapped the table loudly. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were sunken in from restless nights. She looked like shit.

"You want me to what?" She snapped.

"The families will not interfere with the plans of the Legion. You're lucky I'm even allowing you to stay open. As much as I hate to admit it, we need the casinos to stay open. We need the funds for future projects." I smoothed my tie down. "Don't assume that the fact that we need the casinos means that we need The White Gloves themselves. That would be a very stupid assumption. Everyone on the Strip is easily replaceable."

"Who do you think you are? You just waltz into my casino and demand I hand over half of our profits?" She balled her fist on the table.

"Marjorie, it is unwise to yell at a Caesar." I smiled coldly.

She paled at my words. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were the new Caesar."

"Stupid, vindictive woman. When will you degenerates learn that it's unnecessary to be rude to anyone regardless of their status?"

Marjorie kept her mouth shut but I could see her bite her cheek.

"I must add that with the new ruler, there are new rules. Women are now free. No more slavery. Equality for all."

Marjorie's eyes widened in shock. "Are you telling the truth? You aren't enslaving us?"

"Nope. All I need from the Strip is caps and a new ban on drugs. A sign is being erected on every street corner as we speak. Rules and regulations, crimes and punishments, the likes." I glanced at my watch. It was 2:34 and I still needed to talk to rest of the families.

"Reasonable. What do we get for in return?"

"Protection from any enemies of the Strip, increased security and in revenue."

She nodded. "Seems fair enough. What will we use to seal the deal?" She searched for a pen.

"Wise. Verbal is no longer trustworthy. I have already devised a treaty for the families to sign. It contains a detailed list of things we discussed. You just need to sign the bottom." I held out the paper and pointed to the line reserved for her.

"Vulpes, I'm not stupid. I'm going to read it first." She took the paper.

"As you wish." I waited patiently.

She placed it on the table when she was done proofreading and signed it in delicate cursive. Expected of someone of her stuck up stature. She slid the paper across the table towards me. I folded it back up and placed it in my jacket pocket. We stood up and I held out my hand. She took it gracefully and shook it.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Madame Marjorie."

"It was my pleasure, Caesar." She passed a tired smile. I returned it and released her hand.

I stepped outside of the Ultra Luxe and eyed the Tops across the street. I sighed and thought back to Benny, the Chairman of the Tops. I heard he had to fight with Addie in the arena. However, this poses an issue with the rest of the Chairman and the Legion.

I swallowed my hatred for the Chairmen and made my way across the cracked street. I opened the door and allowed the man to pat me down. He didn't need to know about the Chinese pistol in the waistband of my trousers. He gave me a thumbs up.

"Where might I find the head of the Chairmen?" I asked as I straightened my jacket.

"You found him." A man with a plastic smile and gelled hair called from behind the counter. "The name's Swank."

"Ah, good day sir. I must have a word with you in private to discuss urgent business affairs." I shook his hand.

"Alright, Mr.-" he trailed off in a silent question.

"Caesar Vulpes Inculta." I chimed.

The man opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He swallowed loudly as he tried to regain his words. "Uh, yes sir. Where would you like to speak?"

"Somewhere that would be suitable for private conversation that deals with your safety and the safety of those on the Strip."

"Right away." The man led me up stairs and through the double doors of a lounge.

He pulled a chair out from a table away from nosy drunks and sat down. I followed and clasped my hands together over my lap.

"What have you come here for, Mr. Vulpes?"

"I have a proposal to make. The Legion needs funds for expansion and internal growth, the Strip needs security, and you and the Chairmen need balance of power."

"What are you getting at?" Swank eyed me sideways.

"I believe it is in everyone's best interests for the families to relinquish fifty percent of the profits to the Legion in exchange of maximum security. Also, there will be a ban on drugs and other things that are considered contraband."

He pressed his hand over his eyes. "Fifty percent. Of everything. Let me get this straight. You want me to just hand over half of the fucking hard-earned caps we get?"

"Yes, Mr. Swank. If you do not agree to peacefully and civilly partake in the families and Legion affairs, you shall be easily replaced."

Swank pursed his lips. "So I really don't get much say in this anyway?"

"Only if you see it that way. The Legion will be needing the money for things such as places of worship for all religions, the military, education for all children, and future development of major buildings and markets. Plus, we need to provide the money to those who will be construction workers and farmers."

"What all do you plan on doing with the Strip? From my understanding, the Legion is completely against Sin City."

"Where else would we get the caps for this? We may be old fashioned but that doesn't make us stupid?"

"I never suggested such. You said we will be getting increased security?" He raised a brow.

"Yes sir." I nodded.

He sighed heavily. "How do I know you aren't just going to take our money and kill us all?"

"No faith," I tsked. "I have drawn up a document for the heads of the families to sign. Marjorie has already signed and agreed to cooperate." I produced the treaty from my jacket.

"Lemme see it." He gestured for me to hand it to him.

I unfolded it and passed it across the table. His eyes scanned over it and he pulled out a pen from his jacket pocket. He sighed and scribbled his signature on the line under Marjorie's. He passed it back and I folded it and put it back in its place.

"Good meeting, Mr. Swank."

"Yeah. Will we be meeting again after this?"

"It is unlikely. You may meet with one of my advisers but you won't see me after today. I will be heading back to Flagstaff."

"Alright. Where are you going after this?" Swank stood and pushed his chair in.

"Gomorrah, then Vault 21." I groaned.

"Good luck convincing the Omertas to just hand you their caps. I wouldn't try bribing them with security. They would just try to take over the Strip with the added help."

I stood up and brushed my suit off. "I have a different strategy for them."

"You'd better." He shook my hand once more. "Good day."

"Have an enjoyable afternoon, Mr. Swank."

* * *

I stood in front of the pig in a suit they call Cachino. His shirt was half tucked, his hair was greasy and he smelled of cigarettes and, what was safe to assume was jet. He sneered at me and my large group of seasoned recruits.

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Watch that mouth of yours. You're speaking to the new Caesar." A young man to my left warned.

"I don't care if I'm talking to Mother Mary's left tit! I want answers."

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I tried to will away my growing headache. "Shut the hell up for a second and you'll have your answers, you disgusting, petulant brick. We are here for business matters. We need half of your revenue and if you agree to cooperate, we won't shut this casino down and crucify every last one of you."

The man let out a skin-crawling, vile noise that could be considered laughter. "Are you fucking stupid?"

"My patience is wearing thin. My men and I won't hesitate to just take you out right now. You're expendable. Don't even think about having your little boys in hats and suits intervene. I have another group of men in the lobby."

Cachino leaned back in his chair with his hands clasped behind his head as he stretched. "You think you can just order me around on my Strip. Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

I sighed loudly. I waved a hand to the men behind me. Within a matter of seconds, Cachino's body lay on the floor and his head a mess of brain matter on the rug. The casino erupted in gun shots and yelling as the Omertas fired at the recruits. Gamblers and hookers screamed as they ducked for cover. It seemed to have ended as quickly as it started. The casino was quiet for a moment as my men tallied off our minimal losses.

"Terminas, you are the new owner of Gomorrah. Congratulations. You know the new rules." I said as I shook his hand.

The man was silent in shock. He gained his composure. "Yes sir. It is both an honor and a pleasure."

"Good day."

Sarah Weintraub looked at me from her wine glass. Get cheeks were a tipsy shade of pink. She was already drinking when I arrived at Vault 21.

"Ms. Weintraub, would you ever consider an upgrade in security?"

She giggled. "Why? You gonna be my big, strong body guard?"

I looked at her with annoyance. "Did I forget to mention I'm engaged?"

"So? Doesn't mean you're married yet." She slurred.

"It means I am happily in a relationship." I groaned with irritation. "We seem to have strayed off topic. Do you need added security?"

"You're no fun. As for the security, I don't think I need to worry about that."

"And why do you believe you're 'oh so safe'?"

"Because the NCR police people are right across from me, duh?"

I struggled to keep from rolling my eyes. "Are you aware the NCR is no longer a resident of the Mojave? The Legion has won the war."

"That affects me how?"

I pulled the paper out from my jacket. The sooner I got her to agree to the treaty, the sooner I got away from her. "We need half of your caps every month. If you disagree to partake, your casino will be under new management."

"Okay, I don't really need the money anyway." She shrugged.

"Sign here and I'll be on my way."

She took the paper and signed it sloppily with a heavy hand. "Here you go."

"Thank you very much. I must go. It is getting late."

She leaned across the table and draped her hands on my shoulders. "It is pretty late. Maybe you should stay the night."

I slid out of the booth and she hit her head on the table. "I have already stated I have a fiance. I'm leaving."

I folded the paper and stuffed it in my pants pocket. I hurried out of the cafeteria and up the stairs. I exited the casino into the open night air.

**I now own half of the Strip. **


	6. Chapter 6

UPDATE: Vulpes got his own blog for those of you interested. Just go there and chill. Caesar-Vulpes-Inculta.

A/N: This chapter deals with rape and abuse. It's not very important to the plot, so if you have some bad experiences with that sort of stuff, you don't need to read anything after the horizontal line.

Chapter 6: Red Dread Redemption

"Sir, the railways have been cleared around the wasteland and they are currently being repaired. We have several Vegas citizens that are willing to operate the monorails for payment." A young recruit stood nervously before me.

"Excellent. Soon enough, travel will be very simple and available to the public for a small fee. This is... a very good sign. They're starting to trust us enough to work willingly." My fingers tapped together in my lap.

"We should be able to leave for Flagstaff pretty soon, huh? I wonder how many jobs the railways will make." Sennia chimed.

I glanced over at her. She was wearing a new tunic and her hair was braided and tied up. White with a gold sash. She looked like an ancient statue.

"A few hundred at most. We'll need railway maintenance, operators, and staff. The railways spread for thousands of miles in this region. Ambassadorial duties will be made much easier. Trade too."

"Everything seems to be going according to plan, sir." The recruit added.

"Anything to report? How are the men handling the new rules?" I lifted my finger to my jaw.

The recruit shifted his feet. "Well, some of the others have been ignoring them. I've walked in on several counts of abuse. And one rape."

I slouched in the throne with a groan. "I want names. I want them here right now."

Sennia's knuckles whitened. "What are you going to do to them?"

"You'll agree with it." I glared at the recruit. "Names. Now."

He coughed nervously. "Philippus Senecio, he was the rapist. Stadius Nerva, Cario Pullus, Philto Gallus, and Olympus Epolonius have several counts of abuse."

"Bring them here. And the women they have harmed." I sat up straighter. "This will be your first order."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." The recruit saluted and marched out the tent quickly.

Sennia and I sat in silence, waiting for the requested individuals to arrive. A small, frail girl with several cuts and bruises shuffled in first. She held herself tightly.

"I'm sorry, Caesar Vulpes. I never meant to take time out of your schedule. I'm sor-"

I held my hand up and smiled. "You are not here to apologize. You are here to get an apology. Who has hurt you?"

Her brows knit together in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"Which one of my men has hurt you?"

"Uh, I think his name was Olympus. There's no need to apologize. I deserved it."

Sennia stepped up and took her hands. The young girl flinched from the contact. "You didn't deserve this. You are going to get redemption. Do not apologize for what has been done to you."

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but another former slave entered the tent. Her head was held up high, smooth skin contrasting with the hand print wrapping around her throat.

"Good day, ma'am. You are not in trouble. Who has harmed you?"

"Cario." The woman bit out.

"I am sorry to hear that you have been hurt." I offered my hand to her and she shook it.

"That bastard will get his." She snapped.

A wide grin broke out on my face. "Yes. Yes he will."

Sennia gave me a suspicious look. "You don't have to deal with him after this."

The five recruits filed into the tent obediently. Cairo and Olympus paled at the sight of the women. All the men lined up in front of me and glared at Sennia and the two women.

"We're just waiting for the rest of the women to get here." I smiled at the seething men.

"Why are we here?" Philippus barked.

"If you're smart, you will shut the hell up and wait to be spoken to. Next one of you to speak out of turn is crucified."

They glared in silence and Sennia smiled happily. "Here they are."

Six more women entered the tent discreetly. Most had marks to some degree. All but one. The one that was void of bruises and cuts hid behind her hair. Her injuries were invisible.

"Ah, welcome ladies. Please, join me by my side."

The women steered clear of the men and stood around the throne. Several guards had entered behind them and stood at arms distance behind each of the accused men. It was now that the men had realized how much they fucked up.

* * *

"You are all here for one reason: the first rule has been broken." I clasped my hands together and held my finger to my lips. "Men, shut the hell up if you know what's good for you and don't move an inch. Women," I looked over to the group of girls surrounding me, "would you do me a favor? Step up, say your name, and tell us who has hurt you. You can tell us how they hurt you if you please."

The first girl stepped up. "My name is Ellie. Olympus slapped me and dragged me across the tent because I spilled coffee on his sandals."

Olympus shifted his eyes between me and Ellie. His face held a mixture of anger and fear.

The woman from before stepped up in front of Cairo. "My name is Shannon and this piece of shit strangled me because the ink in the pen I handed him was the wrong color."

Cairo held his glare at her but kept quiet. The next girl stepped up confidently.

"My name is Arris and Olympus wrenched my arm out of socket because I spoke 'out of turn.'"

"My name is Daisy and Olympus threw me against a wall because I didn't want to have sex with him." A girl to my left spoke up. Olympus scoffed.

"We're halfway through with this, gentlemen, and it's not looking well for you. Next." I called out.

"My name is Kinsey and Stadius broke a bottle on my head and held the glass to my throat because I wouldn't stop crying."

Stadius opened his mouth to object, then thought otherwise and closed it again. He actually looked sorry for what he had done but there was no excuse for him.

"My name is Lexie and Philto wanted me to marry him. I told him I didn't want to and he choked me."

"I'm Lacy, Lexie's sister. Philto tied me to a post so I couldn't tell you not to marry him."

Lacy and Lexie exchanged sorrowful glances. Philto avoided their faces.

I looked over to the girl that hid behind her hair. "Last one. What is your name?"

She shook her head and her hair swayed in front of her. She bit her lip and stared at the ground. I leaned in closer so only she could hear me. "I know what he has done to you, sweetie. You don't need to tell us what he has done. We both know and no one else needs to know if you don't want them to. Just tell us your name and his. We need to make sure he gets what he deserves."

She glanced at me with uncertainty. She held herself tighter and I could see a faint tear stream down her cheek. I tapped her elbow as gently as possible.

"We can go in the back room with Sennia and talk if you need." I whispered.

She nodded hesitantly. I stood up and waved Sennia over. I told her what was going on and ordered the guards to keep a close eye on the men. The three of us disappeared into the back room. Sennia sat on the bed gracefully and patted the mattress next to her. The girl sat down quietly.

"I can leave any time you want me to. Don't feel like you can't tell me if I make you uncomfortable." I said, sitting down in a chair against the tent flap..

Sennia brushed the girl's hair out of her face and lifted her chin up. "What's your name?"

The girl bit her lip again. "Tandi."

"That's a pretty name. Did you inherit it?" Sennia smiled.

"It was my great grandmother's name. She came from California."

Sennia placed a gentle hand on Tandi's shoulder. "She sounds like she had a well-lived life. I'd like to hear some stories later. For right now, we should talk about what Philippus has done."

Tandi seemed to shrink under Sennia's gaze and looked over at me. I took the hint.

I stood up from the chair. "You don't need to say it. I'll leave you two alone. I don't want to make things weird."

Tandi thanked me and I closed the curtain to give them some privacy. I sat back in the throne and all eyes were on me.

"We can all wait. Philippus, you really seemed to have fucked yourself over. I hope you know you really hurt her, but she isn't broken. She isn't giving you the satisfaction of that." I grabbed a bottle of water from the table and took a sip. "And remember, know your place."

Philippus glared at me in his unbridled rage. He was shaking and a vein had protruded from his forehead. He was deliciously pissed.

I crossed my legs and leaned back with a smirk. The woman had taken to glaring at the men back, taking advantage of the order of silence.

After several tense minutes, Tandi and Sennia had exited the room. Tandi held her chin up and her eyes were hardened. Sennia ghosted a smile.

"My name is Tandi and Philippus thought he could control me. He was very wrong." Tandi's voice reverberated throughout the room.

"Thank you, Tandi. Now that everyone has been named and we've gotten to know each other, your punishments will be announced."

Everyone in the room looked around and shifted from foot to foot in anticipation.

"Ladies, you will be given the choice of punishment and whether or not you would like to fulfill that punishment yourself."

Philippus snorted. "This is bullshit. You are no Caesar and you certainly are no leader. You think _women _should be allowed to decide what should happen to us let alone speak?"

My brows shot up. "You done? Good, because you weren't coming out of this alive anyhow. Now it will just be slower," I said with a faint grin.

He spat on my chest and lunged for me. The guards reached out but my hand was already on his throat and he was headed for the ground, with me on top. He clawed at my arms as my fingers closed tighter around him. The guards pulled me off and held him down. I stood up and straightened my tunic.

"Excuse my moment of barbarism. As I was saying, you all may choose which way these men are punished, how far the punishment will go, and if you want to do it yourself. Hell, you can kill them if you want. You are given all the control."

The woman smirked at the men who had wronged them. The girl that had appeared the youngest had straight up beamed at me. Sennia rested her hand on my arm.

"Alright, let's make our way to the arena. This will be public. We need to get the message across."


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is going to get pretty brutal/3edgy5me for rated T. Also, I created a blog for Vulpes on Tumblr if anyone has any questions they want to ask. caesar-vulpes-inculta

Chapter 7: Retribution

All five men knelt in the dirt of the arena. Their hands were tied and the women they had wronged stood before them.

Every last one of them had chosen to deal with them themselves. Crowds gathered around the arena entrance and along the raised path above the walls. They came to see a show.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" I called out from above the arena. "We are gathered her in holy matrimony to witness what shall happen if you defy the laws. Each of the men you see before you in the dirt has broken the first rule. They have hurt these women physically, emotionally, and mentally. Remember what will be seen today and why you shouldn't go against my orders. Now that business has been taken care of, why don't we enjoy today's show?"

The crowd cheered and clapped. I stepped back and waved Tandi to start. She had gladly chosen flogging. Her fist wrapped tightly around the handle of the cat of nine tails reflexively. Philippus glared at her but said nothing.

She held the whip up above her head and took a few steps back. She took a deep breath and brought it down on his shoulder. Glass and old nails sunk into the flesh and ripped as she pulled away. She brought it back down with a loud crack and the crowds roared. Philippus's screams drowned out the noises of the whip cracking down over and over.

"This is for making me call you _master._" Tandi growled through clenched teeth from behind him. Her hair fell from her shoulders and draped around her face with each crack.

"This is for calling me _baby_." She grabbed a shard of glass from the strip of leather and dragged it down from the base of his spine to in between his shoulder blades, eliciting a blood-curdling scream.

"This is for kicking me in the stomach when you found out _I was pregnant_." She wrench two nails from the strips of leather and placed each one in his ear canals. He looked up to her with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," he mouthed.

"Me too." She plunged the nails into his ears and he dropped to the ground in a screeching mess.

The audience whooped and cheered as Philippus squirmed in the dust. I knew he wasn't very well liked, but I had no idea he was so hated amongst his peers. Tandi dropped the whip and fell to the ground in exhaustion. She had a faint smile as one of the women from the crowd ran over to help her up. Men came and carried Philippus to the medical tent quickly.

"Excellent work, Tandi," I announced. "Next up is Kinsey."

Kinsey stepped forward toward a cowering Stadius. She moved in front of him to look him in the eyes. She whispered something to him and he nodded. He whispered back to her and she frowned. Kinsey looked up at me and shook her head.

"I won't hurt him. I forgive him for what he has done. I don't know what you will do to him for breaking the law, but I will not press charges." Kinsey and Stadius exchanged glances.

"Are you certain?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Yes, my lord. He is forgiven." She nodded.

Sennia gave a look of disapproval but didn't protest. "Let him go if she wants it."

I gave a slight nod. "Stadius, I hereby dismiss you of punishment on your first count of breaking the law. You are free to go."

"Thank you, my lord." Stadius cried out loudly.

Kinsey slit the ropes on his wrists and helped him stand up. They made their way out of the arena quietly and Shannon took the floor.

"Good afternoon, Shannon. What is your method of choice in regards to Cairo's punishment?"

"Hot stones." She grinned at Cairo glaring back at her.

"As you wish. Bring the stones!" I hollered to the man by the kitchen.

The man shoveled coals into a bucket and stuffed tongs into his pocket. He ran around the crowd and they parted to let him in the arena he handed Shannon the bucket and tongs and she thanked him. She slid her fingers into the tongs and pulled out a chunk of glowing hot coal.

I leaned over towards Sennia. "It would be beautiful if it was dark out. Very bright."

Sennia chuckled and pushed me away. "Sh."

Shannon pried Cairo's jaw open and slowly drew the coal nearer and nearer to his mouth. He hissed as the coal hit his tongue. She stuffed it into his mouth and pushed it down his throat. He coughed and screamed as the searing stone burned into his trachea. Shannon hurried and shoved another into his mouth , clamping his mouth closed forcefully.

He seized as his body fought the coals, but it was too much. He choked and hit the ground. Shannon stepped over him and walked towards the entrance without looking back. Medics dragged his body out on a blanket.

"I see we are done with this part. Good day, Shannon." I clapped and the audience laughed.

Daisy, Arris, and Ellie moved towards Olympus all at once. They smirked as he tried to crawl away on his stomach. Ellie grabbed his ankles as Daisy grabbed his wrists. They flipped him over onto his back and Arris stood over him.

"Hello, ladies. Pick your poison." I said with a grin.

"Poison," Arris giggled.

"Good choice. Slow and painful." I threw down a vial of Cazador venom and it rolled away.

Arris moved off of Olympus and retrieved it. She returned to him and dug out a small razor from her pouch. She knelt down by his torso and drug the the razor across his arm. He groaned as it slit his skin. Arris uncorked the vial of venom and tilted it above the cut.

The venom dripped out slowly like old-world molasses. As soon as the liquid hit his cut, his screams and slurred curses spewed out of his mouth. Ellie and Daisy let go of him and he struggled to move.

Cazador venom stopped all activity in the body. It started with the control of limbs, followed by organ failure, then the victim goes brain dead, and finally, the heart stops. If the victim doesn't get a cure within ten minutes of the sting, they die painfully.

Olympus drooled down his face as his body struggled to fight off the venom. All three women stood around him, watching his suffering.

I leaned back to Sennia once more. "These girls are all fucking crazy. We should really keep an eye on them. Tandi is fine. Kinsey needs to be kept on watch. Girls like her tend to either lie and say they've been beaten or deny the abuse ever happened."

"I'll tell the guards to watch them closely." Sennia replied in a hushed voice.

She leaned over to the head of the guards and whispered to him. He nodded and gave the others their new orders. They all agreed and returned to standing motionlessly. My attention returned to Olympus and the girls. It appears the organ failure had just started since he was coughing up blood and spit now. The crowd was silent as they waited for his death. The girls whispered amongst themselves then turned to me.

"Can we give him the antivenom now?" Daisy asked.

I nodded and Siri threw the bottle over the wall. Ellie caught it and uncorked it, spilling it in Olympus's mouth. He choked and sneered, blood coating his teeth. He sputtered and moaned as the medics hauled him off towards the medical tent. The girls practically skipped hand in hand out of the arena.

It was down to Philto, Lexie, and Lacy. Lacy held him by the shoulders and Lacy pounced on him. His yelp was cut short by her fingers wrapped around his throat. His eyes bulged and his feet kicked out from under him. Lacy held him tighter as Lexie began shaking him by the throat.

Lexie had started kneeing him in the stomach in rage. She let go of him and thrust him down to the ground, spit on him, and kicked dust in his eyes. They two sisters and turned tail and stomped off.

He crawled up to his hands and knees with great difficulty. Medics tried to help him but he shook them off. He glared at me from the ground and stood up on shaky legs. He stumbled out of the arena.

The crowd cheered and I held a hand up. Sound halted.

"Thank you, ladies. Today has been a very educational day. I hope everyone goes to sleep tonight knowing something new. Don't break the rules, and we won't have a problem. Have a good day, everyone."


	8. Chapter 8

I'll admit that this chapter will probably be pretty boring, but I needed to make sure everyone knew what the plans for Vegas were and how the issues would be resolved. It was pretty fun for me to write this chapter at least.

* * *

Chapter 8: Public Affairs

Days past and the gossip had started to die down about the girls and the recruits. It seemed like there was always someone willing to talk about the business of others.

As for the the laws, it seemed as if I had gotten the point across the first time. Half of the men didn't make it through the night after their punishment.

The guards kept close watch on the girls, except for Tandi. She appeared to be the sanest one of all and had been hurt the worst in my opinion. She handled things very well and knew why the guards were watching the other girls closely. She and Sennia had began talking more often and eating meals together.

Sennia was finally having a friend. As far as I had witnessed, the other women hated her, either out of envy or felt betrayed by their own. She always acted like she couldn't care less, but I could tell it had gotten to her on multiple occasions. She was the main topic of gossip at least twice a week, so I had heard.

On another note, the families of the Strip were coming along nicely with the new rule. There was little to discuss after the first meeting and seemed compliant enough to not need additional conferences.

The railroads were being worked on by the locals for pay. The work ethic wasn't as great as we had hoped, but it was as good as we expected. They did a decent job, but they worked when they wanted to.

Freeside was in the process of cleaning up rubble that no one had thought to move in two hundred years. The railways would be cleared and repaired and the train station would soon enough be operable.

Locals in Freeside were more than willing to work for pay. They cleared the tracks in a matter of three days.

Through all the rubble, the concrete will be hauled to the abandoned rock crushing plants around the Mojave, and the steel will be sorted out and sent to the old steel factory in downtown. Ground concrete will be used for new cement for buildings. The recycled steel will be smelted down for bullets, weapons, armor, and railway parts for the tracks and monorail. Nothing is wasted.

As for Cerulean robotics, the factory would be reused for further advanced robots the wasteland has never seen. A few of the more renowned and well read recruits with robotics backgrounds were very eager to start a new project that would involve inventing a new combat robot. They would whisper amongst themselves about a long lost fairy tale casino that housed holograms.

I had noticed long ago the issues with standards of living in Freeside. It was normal to go to sleep hungry and thirsty. There were children living in buildings without roofs and on old mattresses. I took this in to careful consideration. There was a an old office building that could easily be used for temporary housing.

The water pump wasn't putting out as much as it needed to for the population. Nobody was trying to fix it and there was a severe lack of cultivation in the neighborhood. I had sent a few recruits that were skilled in repairs to begin training the locals that were willing to learn to fix the pipes and other vital things they would need repaired. Also, I had several different seeds for crops sent over to the recruits in the area to begin growing food.

There was a lot of work that needed to be done in Freeside. Westside was self-sufficient and didn't need anything. All we would do for them was watch to keep them in line and not let them do something stupid like revolt.

Other than the Vegas area, Helios One, Aerotech, and Hidden Valley would need serious work. Helios still supplied the towns outside of Vegas with electricity. We would need trained technicians to work and monitor the power levels. Aerotech would be used as a regulation office and hotel for caravans passing through. The _previous occupants _left the place a disgusting mess to clean up. As for the Brotherhood, I would need to make arrangements to meet the Elder very soon. My previous attempts have not been met with responses.

There were many factories around the wasteland to be re-purposed and fixed up.

There was at least two textile factories in the area that were in reparable condition. The steel mill was already going to be finished within the next few days. The rock crushing plants were abundant and were already working thanks to NCR citizens.

Water processing plants were in terrible condition and needed severe management, which I have assigned high ranking legionaries to take on those projects for clean water to be available in the next few months. There were always people willing to volunteer for clean water and those people would be rewarded when the time came.

Word had traveled across the Mojave of a girl and her ghoul who had brought clean water to the old capital three years ago. I also heard stories of them moving closer towards our territories. If she really did that, maybe I could send scouts and look for her. All these could still be myths though.

Food processing factories still had secret recipes that could be copied, ingredients no longer available could be easily substituted with more readily accessible ingredients. It would take a while to get the factories' personal crops and supplies up and sustained. The water would have to be available nearby. This would solve a lot of the problems with hunger in the area and also could be used for trade with surrounding territories.

Locals would either work for the upcoming projects or they would be working independently. There were many stores and restaurants in Freeside that were boarded up before the war. These buildings can be a huge start to the development of the neighborhood. They could use them for housing and business. Soon enough, Freeside won't be spoken about with a sneer.

Tomorrow, I shall have a public meeting with Freeside residents to discuss these new ideas. Sennia could speak with the women interested in business affairs and she could handle helping with managing these stores.

There was much to do in such little time. Hopefully, everyone is as excited as I am about these changes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Surprise

With a huff, Sennia set down a heavy box on the table. She wiped her hands off on her tunic.

I looked up from the map of the Mojave sprawled out on the table. "What's in that box?"

She grinned, but kept silent. She wagged her finger and shook her head.

"Is that how you're gonna be? You want to be secretive?" I asked with a smile and raised brow.

"It's not that. You'll have to find out what's in the box yourself." She put a hand on her hip and sauntered over to me.

I kissed her shoulder and wrapped an arm around her as I pulled the box towards me. She leaned into me and I opened the box carefully. It was several things. Small and pastel colored. I let go of her to take a closer look at these unusual objects.

I pulled out small trinkets, all lightly colored plastic. One looked like a stick with a large ball on the end. I shook it and it rattled.

I looked over to see Sennia with a palm pressed to her mouth and her hand still on her hip. She was looking at me expectantly.

I dove back into the box and felt something very soft. I pulled it out to find a small, yellow blanket. Upon closer inspection, I could make out small ducks. Under the blanket were little books made of cardboard. They all had cartoon animals on them.

Under those books were some things made of cloth. I held them up and noticed they were very small clothes. Realization hit me like a bullet in the back.

"You're pregnant." It wasn't a question.

Sennia nodded slowly with a small smile on her face. A gasp of laughter escaped my lips as I threw my arms around her. I picked her up and swung her around, kissing every inch of her I could reached.

"How long have you known?" I whispered in between kisses.

"About a month now. I was waiting for the right time to tell you. Tandi was actually the one who told me I should look into it when I was feeling a little sick."

I nuzzled the back of her hair. Her bun was coming loose from the spinning. "You sure as hell could have fooled me."

She leaned her head back on my shoulder with a faint smile. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Surprise."

Giggling filled the air as I rubbed my hand down her stomach. She sighed and closed her eyes. My arms wrapped around her and she swayed gently. Lucius poked his head into the tent.

"Hey, Vulpes, You here? We got some new information about Freeside." Lucius hollered from the tent flap.

"Come in!" Sennia cheered.

Lucius stepped into sight with a quizzical look, folders in his hands. "Something I'm missing?"

"I'm going to be a father." I exclaimed happily.

The folders dropped to the ground. "No fucking way." He ran up quickly, grabbing the both of us firmly. "Congratulations!"

The three of us celebrated the afternoon with laughter and sharing the news with the rest of the Legion that there would be an heir to the throne soon. Many people congratulated us. Others scoffed and spoke quietly amongst themselves.

Lucius tapped me on the shoulder. "Uh, about the news about Freeside."

"I'm not sure if I like the tone of that."

"It's not that great. There's trouble that needs to be addressed immediately." He handed me the folders.

I opened the flap and several papers slid out freely. I held up the nearest one and read over it carefully.

There had been several reports of hate crimes against the minorities of Freeside. Ghouls being attacked in the middle of the night, homosexuals beaten in the streets, and more sexual crimes against women.

My fist balled in anger, knuckles glowing white. Sennia touched my shoulder and read over the reports. She shook her head with a scowl.

"These people are animals." She sighed. "When are we leaving for the meeting today?"

I tossed the papers back in the folder and shut it. "The monorails should be ready for us. We should leave now to catch it on time."

She nodded and Lucius grabbed the folders once again. We stood up and picked up the bags we had packed the night before for tonight.

* * *

The train rolled up to the station and we stood up from the bench. Sennia and I wore business suits to bring on a formal air. Sennia's hand reached for mine as she shook slightly.

This would be her first time on a monorail. I held her hand tightly and eased her through the turnstiles and onto the train.

"You'll be quite alright, love. There is nothing to be worried about. You might even enjoy it." I tried to reassure her.

Her lips thinned into a line and she shook her head vehemently. "I don't think I will like this."

I sat her down beside me and continued to hold her hand tightly. She jumped when the train shook to life.

"It's alright, love." I held her closely as she trembled.

She stayed like this for hours. Not once letting herself enjoy the ride. When she stepped onto the platform in McCarren, she let go of my hand.

"I never want to get on another again."

"Sorry, love, but we will need to to get back."

She glared at the tracks and back at the train taking off once again. "Well, fuck me."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Freeside Tour Guide

The makeshift platform shook with every step Sennia and I took. A rather large crowd had began to circle around it.

The platform sat in the back corner of Freeside behind the Mormon Fort. Grecks, the resident of this corner was glaring at everyone that had stopped to see what everyone was looking at.

The faces in the crowd wore fear and confusion as shrouds to their curiosity. They whispered amongst each other as the Legion had done weeks ago. They shifted from foot to foot as the wait lasted several minutes. All the major factions of Freeside were present within twenty minutes.

Once I was certain enough people had attended, I cleared my throat and spoke into the microphone somewhat nervously.

"Good day, citizens. I trust you are well and the Legion has surprised you with our rule."

They looked on, unblinkingly. Their lack of acknowledgment had been unnerving, if not irritating. Nevertheless, I continued on.

"We are all here because I believe a public speaking was due. I am making an effort to reach out to you and you may all voice any concerns you have." When they made no sign of even speaking English, I continued. "I have come up with an idea to combat the homelessness in Freeside. It is to my understanding that there are children in this neighborhood sleeping on rotting mattresses under open skies. I would desperately like to change that."

That seemed to have gotten the attention of quite a few people. It wasn't a secret that there was a high rate of poverty in this area and almost every resident was a parent to at least one child. The Kings and the Followers would be the most likely to help with child safety. In the distance, I could make out small children looking from behind the buildings and alleyways.

"It has brought to my attention that there are many old buildings and stores in the area, seeing as it was once a very popular tourist stop. I have decided that if anyone in the neighborhood is interested in free housing, the building that once was used as the NCR's food bank is now the Freeside Office. I have several advisers that will take care of any complaints and basic living conditions. That means housing, food, water, jobs, and clothing. If you just follow me, I will show you my future projects for a better Freeside, and a better future."

I stepped down from the platform and the crowd made way for me. Sennia and I walked through them, pausing to shake hands and exchange greetings. The residents were visibly more relaxed. They followed behind as we toured Freeside.

We stopped in front of an office building that had been left mostly intact over the centuries.

"Here, I plan on a trusted official skilled in business maintaining a hotel for travelers. Residents do not have to worry about having to pay for a bed, for that will be handled by the Freeside Office. This hotel will better the economy in the area, funding more projects that the community will be able to take part in."

Several people had nodded in agreement, others still not convinced. The Followers had stayed close by with clipboards. They were clearly taking notes of my promises, probably for when they think I will try to go back on my word. I shook my head at the sight of the pencils scratching across the boards loudly.

Sennia led the way towards the shops that rested along the railways. The way was cleared out and in much better condition, making more than enough room for a monorail. She stopped in front of one of the small shops.

"Who here would be interested in starting their own business?" Sennia asked with a gentle smile.

A few hands raised uncertainly. After a moment, more hands were raised. Sennia clapped her hands together.

"Good, that's very good. Any ideas on what you would like to base your business off of? Anyone?"

A girl, no older than seventeen stepped up in front of everyone. "I always wanted to own a clothing store," the girl's voice was small and anxious.

Sennia grasped the girl by the shoulders, causing her to flinch. "I will gladly help you,-"

"Rosalyn," the girl answered.

"Ah, yes. Hello Rosalyn. My name is Sennia."

They shook hands and a few more people lined up behind the young girl. They all had big plans for their own business. A small, fuzzy feeling was growing in my stomach. They voiced their ideas. Bakeries, toy stores, carpenters, small restaurants, they all wanted something bigger than the hand they had been dealt.

Sennia smiled from ear to ear as the residents confided in her. They shook her hand and greeted her. She talked with each of them personally and got to know their interests.

I stood there awkwardly as I watched Sennia connect with these people. They looked at me as if expecting me to say something else. There wasn't much else to say beside the plans for the factories and plants.

I coughed once and got the attention of the people around me. "If there are any people interested in factory jobs, I also have plans for those."

Several men and women gathered around eagerly, awaiting the news of work. At least I was still of some use in this meeting.

"I am sure you are all well aware of the abandoned factories in Westside and the outskirts of the city. Also, there are a handful of rock crushing plants around the wasteland. Obviously, these jobs would require you to move closer to the plants if necessary. The old steel industry, textile factories, Cerulean robotics, water plants, food processing plants, the railways, and other future projects will be running within the next year and we will need as many workers as we can get."

"Are you really going to do all of this? I mean, how are we supposed to know we can trust you aren't just getting our hopes up?" A Follower asked in the back of the group. A few people agreed.

"I do understand that I may be a little over my head, but I promise that I will at least try. I don't want to rule the wasteland, I want to make a difference."

"Are we getting paid for all of this?" A woman asked.

"Yes ma'am, you will be paid for your labor. There will be times where we are in need of volunteer work, such as the water plants being in terrible condition. We need them fixed and we won't be able to pay in caps until they are up and running. Do not worry about reparations, you will be paid in water, food, and clothing."

A man scratched his neck briefly. "What about sick leave and holidays?"

"You will have a set number of sick days and bonuses for holidays that you are expected to buy gifts or food for family and friends. The number of days off for vacation will vary with each holiday and how much your workplace needs you."

The man nodded. "Sounds fair. Uh, you said something about free housing earlier?"

The crowd paid closer attention now. The dirty, hopeful faces had drilled into my mind.

"Look around you, sir. There are plenty of old stores and apartments that were boarded up before the war to prevent looters. Today, there will be teams opening them. You will have to figure something out for security until we get that sorted out. For the meantime, there will be patrols at night to ensure your safety."

"What about police brutality?" A faceless voice called out.

"I assure you there is nothing to worry about with my men. They only use force when absolutely necessary. They hit when you hit. They are ordered to encourage compliance and peace."

"And if they go against orders?"

"They will be dealt with swiftly and fairly."

Sennia put her hand on my shoulder. I looked around to see a larger crowd around us, all seemingly trusting of us and neighborly.

I had hope for Freeside.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

We got to the hotel room late that night. Sennia had never been to the Strip before, so I took her to the Ultra Luxe. Marjorie bit her tongue when we were near. I made sure that Sennia was wearing at least one of the rings I had the bitch cleaned for her. Sennia was ecstatic about the casino and I never would have guessed she was a master of blackjack.

Despite the Legion's views on gambling, the Strip supplied nearly all of the funding for the projects to come. They were too valuable to do away with.

Sennia set her bags down and began to undress. I found my way into the kitchen area and produced a small bottle of water. I walked back in the bedroom to find Sennia in bed with a book, seemingly struggling.

"Are you alright?" I asked with a hint of concern.

She looked up from the book. "I'm fine, I just can't figure this out."

"Do you need help with anything?"

She laid the book down on the bedside table. "You won't laugh at me, will you?"

My brows knit together. "Why would I laugh at you?"

She looked down at her hands fidgeting with the blanket. "Because I can't read."

I put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "That doesn't make you any different or less intelligent. There are very few in the wasteland who can actually read. If you want me to help you learn, I can."

She looked back up with hopeful eyes. "Please?"

I leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead. "No problem. I'll teach you starting tomorrow. It is late and you need rest."

She smiled and slid down onto the pillow. I untied my tie and hung it on the chair, following with slipping out of my suit and unbuttoning my shirt. I rested beside her and threw an arm under her head and the other over her stomach. My face seemed to be drawn to the curve of her neck. I rubbed her stomach lazily.

"I know nothing about you, Sennia." I mumled into her neck.

She sighed sleepily. "What do you mean?"

"Your name isn't really Sennia and I know you had a life before the Legion."

"What do you want to know?" She turned her head to look down at me.

"Everything someone needs to know about the one they love."

She looked back up at the ceiling. "Well, my name is obviously not Sennia. It's Estella. I met my now dead husband when I lived with my family when I was around sixteen and we ran away from Mexico together. I haven't heard from my family since then. I don't think they really cared that I was gone. We were never that close."

I reflexively tightened my grip on her. "Where in Mexico?"

She was quiet for a moment as she thought back on her home. "I lived near Guadalajara. My parents weren't that great to me and my brothers and sisters. I was the youngest out of five. My grand mother didn't speak to me often, I was a nuisance. My great great grandmother was around since the bombs dropped. Everyone just called her 'abuela'. She would talk about the man who never knew she had been pregnant with his son that was my great grandfather."

"Maybe he's still alive if he's a ghoul too."

She shook her head. "I doubt it. He was a real hothead from what she told us. He probably didn't live much longer with the gangs. I can't remember what his name was though."

I had rubbed my thumb over her belly in small circles as I listened. "Tell me about your siblings."

"I never got along with them. I think they just didn't think I fit in. I was much younger than them and they thought I was a brat. There was Rowano, Castiana, Marina, and Esmerelda. They were always making sure I was left out because I was younger than them. Can't say I miss them."

"Do you miss any of them?" I pursued.

"Only abuela. She was always kind to me. She knew how the rest of the family treated me. I left with Rick when I got my first chance. It was stupid but he was running a water caravan and I knew that it would be the safest way out of town. I never loved him and he knew it. I think that's why he beat me. He knew I didn't love him so he beat me, knowing damn well I wouldn't have the courage to leave him for someone else. I was young and stupid."

Sensing the downhill direction this conversation was heading, I took it up as my duty to change the subject. "How old are you now?"

She shook out of her thoughts. "I'm twenty-three I think."

"Have you ever thought about going back to see family?"

"Like I said, I only miss my great great grandmother. Everyone else can just blow it."

"As much as you believe your parents hate you, you were still their child and they wanted the best for you. I'm sure they miss you very much."

"I don't like thinking about that place. If I could go back, I'd take abuela with me and whatever is left of my childhood if they didn't get rid of it."

We were silent for the next few seconds.

"I can make that happen, Estella." I whispered into her hair. Her name felt weird on my lips.

"Please don't call me that. I wanted to leave that name behind. And how? Would you fix all the railroads from here to Guadalajara?"

"Expansion of the Legion. Our borders reach past Chihuahua. It is possible." My hand stopped its ministrations.

She didn't answer me, just swallowed loudly. After an uncomfortable silence, I could make out sniffling and poorly muffled whines. I sat up to look her in the face. She looked away from me, but only after I saw the torment in her expression.

"I'm sorry, Sennia."

I always managed to fuck things up with her. I was clueless to the subjects I shared with her.

She didn't look back. "I only want to get abuela. I miss her so much. She was the only one in my family that treated me like a person."

"Then I shall start the construction immediately. You can be there by the end of next month with all the supplies and people willing to work."

"Alright. Thank you so much. I want you to come with me in case something happens."

I leaned down and wiped the tears away, kissing her cheek. "I will, love."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Lindsay on Duty

"Sennia, dear, do you need anything?" I asked from the kitchen of the hotel room.

"I'm fine."

Sennia had been acting strangely all morning. It was safe to assume it had something to do with last night. Had I pushed her into telling me about herself and her old life? Did she actually want to go back at all?

I had decided to keep that topic away from conversation when she actually did talk but it was definitely bothering her. She would speak much and I had caught her looking of at nothing on several occasions. She was worrying me.

I walked back out of the kitchen and sat down on the old couch next to her. She didn't look at me when I called out to her. I took her hand gently to get her attention. She finally came to and looked over with sad eyes.

"Sennia, are you alright? Tell me the truth."

She hesitated to answer, but then shook her head slowly. "I don't feel like doing anything today. Last night seemed to suck the life out of me."

I squeezed her hand once. "Did you feel like you had to answer me because I asked?"

She shook her head again. "No. I haven't thought about my childhood in a long time. I guess it was a healthy release to finally talk about it with someone. I've tried to block out everything from before I was in the Legion."

A dark chuckle escaped my lips before I could stop it. "I think that is the first time that someone has said they want to forget everything before the Legion. Everyone I know has kept their memories from their old lives locked tightly for different reasons."

She let out a deep breath. "Yeah, it seems that everyone else had pretty decent memories to look back on. I can't remember any besides the times I sat on abuela's lap and she told me stories from before the war and about her cowboy boyfriend."

She looked off again and I left it at that. She was actually thinking about a good memory. Why should I take that away from her in times of distress?

I patted her hand and she didn't seem to notice when I stood up and left the room. I had gone back in the kitchen to find my railway map of the Mojave. I found it in my pack under the table and unrolled it on the counter. The corners kept trying to roll back up, so I placed glass cups on the edges to keep them down.

The railroad spread across the Mojave like an ant colony map. Almost every town was linked to it with a station that was already being fixed up. The tracks had been maintained and the monorail was currently being duplicated for three more monorails. The countless train carts derailed around the wasteland were being pulled back and shipped back to McCarren.

Since McCarren was originally an airport and still housed a number of pre-war aircraft, the Boomers would be offered an arrangement. They get to take the old jets and they must mass produce them for commercial use, provided the materials.

That was actually my next order of business for today. I dressed quickly and informed Sennia of where I was going. She insisted she come along, so she hurried to get her things packed. We checked out of the hotel and left New Vegas without much problem.

We drew our guns as we made our way along the road to Nellis. The Legion was heavy in this area and had eradicated the raiders and whore houses scattered about. The New Vegas Medical Clinic and the rest of the Followers had received a high influx of medical supplies and technology found at old clinics out of use. The area around New Vegas had improved a lot since my last walk through the wastes.

I held Sennia closer when I spotted a pack of deathclaws in the distance. I pulled her behind a wall of houses for cover and we crept along until we came out near the old world well. The deathclaws were still in sight, but they were farther than before when first seen. No one was around this area, so it was a good assumption that they were all killed.

We hurried faster until we heard the notorious whistle of a warning missile. I waved my arms wildly to get the spotter's attention. The boulder several yards behind us erupted in dust and pebbles. Sennia yelped and started waving her arms next to me. On the horizon, I could see someone at the gates of the air base looking through the launcher. They waved back and dropped the weapon, the others around following.

I grabbed Sennia by the wrist and run as fast as we could. That missiles most definitely alerted the deathclaws. We sprinted across the expanse of the pock-marked, cracked road. A sharp jolt shot up my leg as I tripped in a pothole. My face hit the asphalt roughly. I spit out tiny rocks and shook my head to clear it. In the distance, I could hear heavy stomping and my heart stopped.

I rushed to my feet quickly and hauled ass. I risked a glance over my shoulder to see what I was dreading. Three deathclaws were running towards us, arms outstretched. Sennia screamed and picked up the pace. The gates screeched as they opened enough for two people to slip in. The line of guards raised their missile launchers in synchronized motion.

"_Foom. Foom. Foom. Foom."_

Missiles soared feet above our heads at the deathclaws. The loud booming of the missiles hitting flesh and road followed by beastly roars of pain filled our ears. We spilled into the base and the gates shut behind us quickly.

More men and women raised their launchers and fired at the single deathclaw left. It was over much sooner than it started. The beast fell to the ground in a bloody heap with a final roar. Sennia doubled over to catch her breath with her hand on her stomach.

"I'm sorry, baby. You're safe now." She whispered, rubbing her belly.

"Fox!" A small voice cheered.

I looked back up from Sennia to see Lindsay running towards us on her short legs. Her hair was longer than I last saw it and was slightly redder. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I said I would come back." I said with a laugh that can only be achieved after escaping death and acting like it never happened.

"Who is she?" Lindsay asked, turning her attention to Sennia still rubbing her stomach.

"That s the lovely fiance I told you about, Sennia." I felt extreme pride in that sentence.

Sennia perked up and straightened herself. "What?"

"I told Lindsay I couldn't stay here last time because I had to get back to you." I pulled Lindsay off and she stepped back to look at Sennia closer.

Sennia pushed her hair back behind her ear with a shy grin and extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Sennia."

Lindsay took her hand and shook it vigorously. "Pleasure to meet ya!"

Lindsay skipped off towards Pearl's barracks and left Sennia and I alone. She looked at me with a chuckle.

"She's delightful."

"Hopefully our child will be as full of sunshine as Lindsay."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"How have you been, Fox? It's been a few weeks since we last heard from you." Pearl delightedly cheered. Her face crinkled in a wide smile.

I shook her hand. "I have been well. I am here with my fiancé, this lovely woman next to me," I waved to Sennia.

Sennia's cheeks warmed up and she extended her thin hand to Pearl, who gladly shook it. "Hello, thank you for taking care of him while he was here."

Pearl nodded. "It was no problem. He has helped us a lot around the base," She turned back to me. "How long do you two plan on staying, dear?"

"I was actually here on business affairs. You may have heard about my resent coming into power. I am the new Caesar for the Legion."

She nodded and ushered us to the sofas around the coffee table. "Yes, dear, I have. It seems like you have big plans."

We sat down. "Yes, I came here to see if you would have any interest in... an airport. There are planes and proper maintenance equipment. You can rule the skies once again."

Pearl covered her mouth with a shocked gasp. The Boomers in the room had crowded around us, their curiosity growing. "Is there anything you would want in return? This seems like something too good to be true."

I nodded. "There are commercial airplanes that we need fixed. You can fly wherever you want, whenever you want, but we wouldn't in return, like if you flew passengers to far off destinations. And, if the need arises, we would require that you provide military assistance." I noticed her slight slouch. "Think about this, Pearl. You could lead the New Legion Air Force."

At that, she sighed. "When would we be able to get to the airport?"

I shrugged. "This would be a very busy airport. People are using the monorails and going all over the Mojave." I glanced at Sienna. "We're working on one that goes deep into Mexico. You could move into the airport as soon as possible."

A Boomer patted Pearl on the shoulder and he leaned in. "How are we going to get everything from point A to point B? We have howitzers... and lives here."

Sennia spoke up. "We could use the monorail... There are tracks right next to the base. And for the weapons, maybe you could break them down for easier transport."

Pearl sighed heavily. "That would take my best engineers, and even then, we'd be delayed two weeks at least getting everything to that airport. Are the tracks all ready?"

"They should be ready by the time you are. It has been about a month since I started the track project and we already have access to half of the Mojave. It was really mostly removing debris and replaced the metalwork. The wood is very old though."

"Yes," Pearl muttered. "I can imagine how hard it is to find wood in the desert."

Sennia chuckled. "Like a needle in a haystack."

* * *

"Are you guys leaving already?" Lindsay whined, clinging to my leg tightly.

"I apologize but we have very important business going on. We really need to get back our home." I patted her on the head gently and and pulled her off of my limb.

She crossed her arms and pouted. "You haven't even been here for a day," she groaned.

"And I promise I'll make it up to you. Hey, I promised I would come back and I did."

Sennia leaned down to her level. "He has never broken a promise to me. He will definitely make it up to you. Maybe he'll take you to an old air craft factory."

I raised my brow as Lindsay's eyes grew wide. "Really?"

Sennia looked up at me. "Do you know any?"

I scoffed. "No, but I'll look I guess."

Lindsay hopped up and off of me to run circles around us. "Jemma is going to be so jealous!"

Sennia wrapped her fingers through mine with a smile. I said goodbye to an overly excited Lindsay and we set back off to Freeside. We stepped around the fallen deathclaws and kept wary eyes on the horizon for any more. Neither of us had spoken much, having nothing to say wasn't always bad.

We made it to the train station within two hours and the sun was setting. Sennia was still uncomfortable about getting on train but I didn't have to drag her on this time. We took our seats and settled in for the long ride.

Sennia dropped her bag and stuffed it under her seat. "So, when do you think we'll be back home?"

I cleared my throat. "Uh, maybe early morning. We are being dropped off near Bolder City and taking the canoe at the new dock."

She nodded and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Alright."

Sennia rested her head on my shoulder after a while. She was drifting off slowly and quietly as the trip dragged on. I leaned back in my seat to make it more comfortable for her. I kissed the top of her head and leaned my head back, closing my eyes.

"Goodnight, love." I whispered.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The train came to an abrupt stop and we traversed the station towards the boat docks. Sennia yawned sleepily and rubbed her eyes. The sun hadn't come up yet and wouldn't for another hour or so. The early morning air was fresh and crisp, like an apple.

I pulled Sennia towards me by the waist so she wouldn't run face first into a column with her eyes closed. "Love, you need to watch where you're going."

She laughed quietly. "I know. How much longer until we get home?"

She leaned into me and I kissed the top of her head. "About an hour. You can sleep on the boat."

She groaned inwardly and wiped her face to wake up more. "What's on the agenda for today?"

The water sloshing against the rocks was almost melodic. The wood dock creaked loudly under our feet as we made our way to the boat, Lucullus waiting patiently for us. "I have to see about the barracks for the women who chose to stay."

"Ave, Vulpes," Lucullus waved from the boat.

The three of us stepped onto the small boat and he untied it from the docks. "Ave, friend."

We took our eats and Sennia immediately fell back asleep with her head in my lap. Lucullus smiled at her sleeping form, small snores here and there escaped her.

"I think I may have met a girl, Vulpes."

A smile tugged at my lips. "Really?"

He grinned widely and nodded. "Yes, her name is Josephine."

I motioned for him to go on and he gladly did.

"She has short blonde hair, a button nose, blue eyes, and an ass to _die_ for."

We chuckled and I patted him on the back. "Nice."

"She's a singer at the Tops. I met her while you were gone and she seems to really like me. Like, _really_ like me. Me!" He was practically beaming.

The poor boy had never had that much luck with women. He was painfully awkward and tended to be used even by the slaves. It didn't help that he had a tendency to fall in love very easily.

"What's she like?"

He shrugged. "I'm not too sure. We only met once but we talked for hours after her shift. She was really pretty and she didn't wave me off as some weirdo when I choked up at introductions." He laughed nervously. "I know it sounds crazy but I really think there was something between us. She didn't even look at any of the other men there and she didn't go away when I didn't have the money for a drink. She bought herself a drink!"

I shushed him as not to wake up Sennia and he nodded. "Trust me, you do not want to wake her."

"Alright. Anyway, we were talking and drinking and we went to her hotel room... I know what you're thinking, but we didn't even do anything. She just wanted me o hold her and she started crying. I didn't know what to do."

I clasped my hands together and waited for him to continue. I wouldn't even be surprised if he got engaged to her because she was crying. Pissed off, but not surprised. My suspicions grew the longer he waited to speak up.

"Lucullus, what did you do?"

His hands were clammy and blistered from the ores. "I'm meeting her again tonight. I told her I would so she would stop being sad and then she fell asleep in my arms and I woke up in her bed the next day. And by some weird stroke of luck, she was still there when I woke up."

We were quiet for a moment, listening to the sound of the waves gently tip the the boat back and forth. "Did you leave before she woke up?"

He shook his head with an exasperated expression. "Are you insane? I want to keep her. Not use her."

I nodded, wisely like an old man. "Good. Never leave a woman when she's asleep unless you plan on never seeing her again and you're sure she would rather it that way."

Lucullus sighed heavily. "I know. You've told me this a million times. I've never left a woman. The bitches always leave me and I don't even know it until I see them with other men. The same men they told me not to worry about."

"Stop pitying yourself, Lucullus. This girl seems like a fresh start from all the other whores... And do not tell me they weren't whores. I knew a lot of them personally to some extent. Trust me, they were whores and I think you should make sure none of them gave you something before you ruin this poor girl."

He slouched in his seat, lazily rowing the boat. We were almost halfway across the river now and this conversation was going to turn into a pity party or a lecture. Sennia hadn't even budged since she first laid down.

"I know, Vulpes. I need to see a doctor or something. A lot of those women had... that look. The glassy eyes, cigarette teeth and smell, scabs. That kind of thing going on."

That lot of women were Gomorrah's goods. They had fucked everyone this side of the river, and more. I had spent some of my lonelier nights there and regretted it the next morning when I started getting itchy. "Don't subject that girl to your past mistakes. She shouldn't have to pay for all your one night stands."

"Sheesh," he grumbled. "I won't. Can we stop talking about where and what my dick has been in?"

I tossed my hands up quickly. "Just bringing it up. Something you need to think about with this girl."

Sennia stirred from the commotion. She grunted when I moved my knee, jostling her head. "Stop your bitching, guys. Let this pregnant woman sleep."

She had been more grouchy lately, and I think she was using the pregnancy card to get away with small fits. I wasn't going to address it unless it was getting ridiculous. She fell back asleep quickly and I ran my fingers through her hair.

"I want what you and Sennia have," Lucullus muttered.

I looked up from Sennia to see him slouched over himself and looking at his feet. He bit his lip and avoided my gaze. Lucullus was always a hopeless romantic, but women never returned the affection. If they did, they didn't stay very long. Even in the dark morning, I could see the years of pain wearing down on him.

"You will eventually. And when you do, you will thank Mars every night when you go to bed next to her every night."


	15. Chapter 15

I can't, for whatever reason, get the blog to work at all. So I'm just going to answer questions and post story related things from time to time on my personal blog. incrediblemeatza is the name, don't wear it out.

* * *

Chapter 15

"The supplies have arrived, sir. The women who have remained on the island said they are ready to begin building, sir."

A young recruit stood at full attention in front of me with a supply list in his hands and blue prints rolled up under his arms.

"Thank you," I said as I pulled the list out of his hands.

I unrolled the paper and looked over it. There was plenty of wood and nails, along with the tools necessary to build these bunks. The beds would be readily available and in stock within a week. A lot of the supplies were just recycled from NCR barracks and shipped here. I dismissed the recruit and unraveled the blue prints on the table.

The table was littered with papers and railway maps of the Mojave, Mexico, and up north, extending well into Wyoming. You couldn't even see the table anymore. Nothing was labeled or organized in any manner, making finding anything near impossible.

I sighed and tried to rub the oncoming migraine away from my temples. Running an empire was a lot more stressful than I expected. Malum headbutted my ankles for my attention. I scooped him up and held him to my chest. He preferred being held like an infant.

"Haven't seen you in a while. Have you been playing with the children?" I chuckled, running a finger down his forehead.

Something told me he would be jealous of having to share Sennia and my attention with the new baby. Malum had always been the one to receive all the attention because he was so small and cute. He acted much like a cat.

My thoughts were interrupted by Lucius barging into the tent. "Guess what we just found."

I closed my eyes and heaved a heavier sigh than last. "What?"

"An NCR troop. What do you want us to do with her?" He asked, almost giddy.

I opened my eyes and set Malum down, to much of his dismay. "Bring her in."

Lucius nodded and walked out the tent backwards, giving me two thumbs up. I straightened out the maps and blueprints before two recruits drug in a woman in the stained ruins of an old NCR uniform, each holding one arm. She kept her head down but I could feel her anger and hatred from here.

I held my hand up to signal them to stop where they were and I crouched down to her level. "I need your word that you will act civil, and then you can be released from them and it can just be the two of us. No guards, no restraints, no worries. Just talking. But I need your word."

She inclined her head up slightly to glare at me. "Murderer."

I smiled and tsked. "Name a single soldier a laid a hand on during the battle for the dam."

"I'll be civil. Now call them off," she growled.

I stood up and straightened my tunic. When the recruits hadn't moved, I shot them a look. "Well, you heard the girl. Get your hands off her."

The recruits dropped her to the ground and she cursed under her breath. They left the tent and we were alone. I held a hand out to lift her up and she glared at my hand and spat on the ground.

I sighed. "You know, when you promise you'll be civil, the least you can do is have manners."

Her lips pursed and she grabbed my hand. I pulled her up and steadied her. "What do you want from me?"

I arranged the documents on the table by urgency and deadline as I spoke. "I want to know why you're still in my territory and how many there are that are still here."

She eyed me critically. "I'm here for personal reasons. Not because I feel I have a duty that remains."

I nodded, but didn't look away from the documents. "What is you name? I don't care about formalities. I just need something to call you by."

"In the army, I was called Bee."

I smiled. "Nice to look at, but you sting when your loved ones are threatened."

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "How did you know?"

I glanced at her. "That was my mother's tribal name. You can call me Fox. That was mine."

"Well," she sighed. "I'm here to get my family."

My head tilted. "How many more troops are in my lands right now?"

She shrugged. "Maybe a little over fifty. They're spread out though so that's just an estimate."

"Alright. You have three days to get your family out of these territories. I suggest going East for a while until you get out of the territories. We're expanding North soon and eventually the West coast will fall. We're working on Mexico as we speak."

Her brows knit together and her lip quivered. "What do you mean I have three days to leave? I have to bring everything and that takes time, man."

"I will send two recruits to not aid you, but they are also there to make sure you leave in time. If you kill them, there will be a bounty on you... and your family."

She began to pout, but stopped herself. "Why are you giving me notice? Why didn't you just kill me on the spot?"

I grinned and shuffled the documents. "Because I'm not Edward."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"So the recruits have set out with the rogue trooper?" Lucius asked from across the table.

I cleared my throat and took another bite of charred meat. The sun was beating down mercilessly today. More so than usual during the late October. Sennia was down at the bank cleaning sheets and teaching some of the younger girls at the Fort basic things.

"Yes. She was reluctant at first, but she is a smart girl. She would be wise to warn the other troops she passes. If the recruits aren't enough of a push factor, they will learn the hard way."

He nodded curtly and handed the bowl of fresh bread down to a former slave, who in turn thanked him. "And what is _the hard way,_ might I ask?"

A grim smile spread across my face. "Public crucifixion, my dear friend. Along the main roads so the troops can see in all its glory. Their friends and loved ones latched to crosses, crying for help, and then dying of starvation or exhaustion. Maybe the birds will get to them."

Lucius's eyes widened for a moment. "That's very... creative, Vulpes. Any reason you had to be so dark about it?"

A deep chuckle escaped me without my intention. "Just trying to get a message across. Fear works better than kindness. If I am too nice, I get walked over and pushed around. That would be very unwise to do."

He inclined his head, as if to nod, but didn't quite finish the nod. "I see. Does Sennia know about this plan?"

I shrugged. "She'll find out eventually. Knowing her, she'll try to do something about it behind my back. I guess I'll let her do what she's going to do if she isn't letting them go when no one is looking."

Lucius wiped his mouth with a napkin and pushed the plate aside for the "waitress." She picked it up and set it aside the table next to a tub of water and detergent.

* * *

After lunch, the children had come up to me for a favor.

"Can we put on a play?" A young girl, around seven, asked me.

The girl was surrounding me with her many friends with pleading eyes. One of the youngest boys tugged on my tunic. He couldn't have been older than five years old. I scooped him up and he stared at me wide-eyed.

"What is the play about?"

Melody, the young former slave girl who had admired Sennia, spoke up from behind the group. "The Tragedy of Edward Caesar. I'm playing Sennia if you give us an okay for it."

I pressed a finger to my chin and eyed the young boy. He was still shocked that I had picked him up. "What do you think, young man? Should there be a play?"

He slowly backed away as much as possible while I held him. He nodded nervously with a small smile, or sneer. I wasn't quite sure.

"How about you play me, young man?"

Melody had sunk in her stance. The looks she had been passing one of the older boys had given me the hint that she was hoping he would play me. Melody seemed to have a little crush. "He's mute." she admitted.

The boy still seemed nervous but eased himself closer to me. I ruffled his white blond hair and set him down. He ran back to Melody and clutched her leg from behind, peering at me from behind her. "He's also really weird. Sorry about that. So can we do the play?"

All of the children gave me those puppy eyes and inched closer to me. It was going to be impossible to say no to them. I sighed and nodded. The children smiled and hugged my waist tightly in gratitude. I stood straight as a board, unsure of what to do. They let go all at once and took off down the hill.

A tap on my shoulder drew my attention. It was Sennia with a basket of clean laundry. "What was that all about?"

I smiled and straightened my tunic. "They want to do a play. They were clever about it too. 'The Tragedy of Edward Caesar'."

She stifled a small laugh and gripped the laundry basket tighter to keep it from falling. "That sounds interesting."

I took the basket and we walked to the tent to sort and fold it. "Melody wants to play you."

She sighed heavily and tossed the tunic she was folding on the cot. "Why would she ever want to be like me? I am no role model."

I shook my head. "I must disagree. You are a very powerful woman, Sennia. Especially in this position. You were strong before. Now you can utilize that strength for the greater good. You can make a change in this hell hole of a region."

She bit her lip and looked down as she returned to folding the tunic she tossed. "I am not."

"Please don't fight me on this."

She shook her head. "I'm not fighting you. I am simply disagreeing with you."


End file.
